


Shut Up and Dance

by shipshape11



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/M, Fluff, One Shot, Unresolved Sexual Tension, rivamika
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-19
Updated: 2018-05-19
Packaged: 2019-05-08 21:08:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14702340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shipshape11/pseuds/shipshape11
Summary: A fucking dance.Levi still couldn’t believe he was actually standing here. Why had he agreed to come? His gaze fell upon the entrance of the dining hall, and his breath hitched in his throat. She was here.Oh, he thought, helplessly. That’s why.





	Shut Up and Dance

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic so.....here goes nothing!
> 
> ~Sort of loosely inspired by the Walk the Moon song.

 

_A fucking dance._

Levi still couldn’t believe he was actually standing here. They had turned the dining hall into a makeshift dance floor by clearing out all the tables, turning off the lights, and hanging up dozens of lanterns across the ceiling.

By normal standards it actually looked pretty decent. Levi didn’t have normal standards. The only thing he could think about as he leaned up against the far corner was how messy the room was going to be by the end of the night.

Levi pulled at the black tie around his neck, wishing he was wearing his survey corps uniform and cravat.

_How had Hange gotten him to wear a tie?_

Levi’s bored gaze flicked over to a love-struck couple as they walked past him. They found a spot on the dance floor and became tangled in each others arms, letting the slow music set a tempo for their gentle back-and-forth sways. The woman whispered something in his ear, and he kissed her forehead in return.

Levi fidgeted with his tie.

 _In fact, how had Hange even gotten him here at all?_ Levi thought this whole event was a huge waste of time. It was juvenile and pointless, but Hange seemed to think it was the best idea in the whole goddamn universe.

She had recently become enthralled with the idea of human psychology, and how being in the survey corps affected the mind. She started following cadets and soldiers around, taking notes on their demeanor before and after expeditions. She even took his soldiers out of training to interview them on ‘how they were feeling’. _His_ fucking soldiers _._ She was convinced morale had a direct relationship on performance in the field.

That’s all this _dance_ really was. A scientific experiment to satisfy Hange’s curiosity before their next expedition outside the walls. And it was apparently _crucial_ that Levi had to be here for it. The shitty four eyes’ words from two days ago ran through his mind.

_You have to come to the dance! Everybody will go if you do! And if you don’t, they’ll just be worried about being reprimanded by you the next day. Please? I believe this could be extremely important to our next mission. Who knows, Levi? You might actually enjoy yourself._

Levi ran his fingers through his hair and loosened his tie all the way, sliding it off from around his collar. He placed it on the chair next to him, making a mental note to not forget it when he inevitably left early. He unbuttoned the top button. It was getting hot in here, and hard to breathe. He was glad he chose to forgo the traditional black jacket that most men wore to these types of formal dances.

He wasn’t completely sure why he was so uncomfortable. He just was. You could throw Levi in front of any number of titans and he would go into it with the confidence and certainty it takes most men just to wake up in the morning. He fights with familiarity and ease akin to breathing. It just came naturally to him.

This dance (or any social situation really) did not. Hange’s hopeful words that he might actually enjoy himself seemed ridiculous to Levi now.

_So why did he agree to come?_

His gaze fell upon the entrance of the dining hall, and his breath hitched in his throat.

She was here.

 _Oh,_ he thought, helplessly. _That’s why._

Mikasa was standing in the doorway, handing her coat to the attendant and talking to Amin Arlert, who looked about as comfortable to be here as Levi did. She turned to glance at a dressed-up Eren Yeager, who was busy glowering at the decorations and atmosphere.

Levi glared at him briefly, dumfounded. _How could he be looking anywhere but at her?_

She was absolutely gorgeous.

She wore a tight, black dress with thin straps that perfectly accentuated the curves of her body. Her hair was pulled back with a few loose strands still falling to her face. Levi let his eyes wander all the way up her long legs to where the dress cut off mid-thigh, and continue up higher and higher until he forced himself to look away. When she tuned, he saw that the whole of her back was exposed except for a few, thin, zigzagging straps. Her skin looked smooth and inviting in the light of the lanterns, practically begging his hands to graze over-

 _Damn._ He shook his head to clear his thoughts before they got too carried away. He had never seen her like this before.

Obviously, Levi had seen her out of her survey corps uniform in the past. They trained and sparred together most days of the week, and she often wore nothing more than a sports bra and shorts. He had known she was beautiful. This was different though. She was elegant and classy and…

_Sexy._

Levi watched her make her way over to a table much like a predator examines his prey. _This_ was why he had come. Levi wasn’t one to lie, especially not to himself. Something…different had happened at their last sparring session. Not bad, but not something Levi was entirely prepared for. There had always been tension present during their one-on-one training sessions. But that was a good tension. A raw, carnal tension that fueled their adrenaline. Levi liked that tension. He reveled in it.

What had happened between them had created a new tension. A softer tension. And Levi was yearning to break it.

**

It had started out like all the others had. They ran, they stretched, did 3DM gear exercises, lifted weights, and then they sparred. They always ended with the fight. They were always too bruised and tired to do anything afterwards other than shower and crash into their respective beds. And besides, it was their favorite part of training.

He had actually started training her on Captain Erwin’s orders. Not that he was opposed to it. He had seen her skill first hand and been out in the field with her. He was eager to test her power against his own. She had natural talent, but lacked the discipline and experience to fully utilize it.

Training had gone well, and it didn’t take long before they became more evenly matched than Levi cared to admit, though he usually ended up on top. Training became unnecessary, but they both relished it too much to stop. Levi didn’t have to hold back with her. She could take it. He felt alive and in his element. They were both animals, acting on pure instinct and reflex. Every hit and block felt like releasing a breath of held-in air. And based on the slight, twisted smile on her face when they sparred, he knew she felt the same way. The fact that not only could she hold her own against him, but give some of it back? It made him excited.

Levi decided it was sometime during these sparring sessions that he had realized his…attachment to her. He had begun thinking about these sparring sessions all throughout the day, even becoming _distracted_ during important meetings. He had told himself it was because he loved the thrill – needed to stay in shape, even. But he couldn't lie to himself. He definitely couldn't pretend he wasn’t _physically_ attracted to her. That wasn’t something he could lie about, even if he wanted to. He damn near had to sprint away from a few sparring sessions early just to hide his arousal. Levi wasn’t exactly prepared to admit he had… _feelings_ for the brat, but she unquestionably made him feel things he hadn’t felt in a long time. Things he knew she _didn’t_ feel. Things he didn’t _want_ to feel.

 It made him angry.

This evening, the gym had been completely empty except for the two of them. Levi usually preferred to keep their ‘sessions’ later in the day so younger cadets wouldn’t make a spectacle of the whole thing. It was already nighttime, and moonlight was delicately making its way through the windows lining the ceiling.

They’d been lifting weights for the better part of an hour when he decided he wanted a _real_ fight today. Not a good-natured sparring match between ‘friends’ (that’s all he was comfortable calling them at this point). A _fight._ Levi didn't know why. Maybe it was the fact that Erwin called him out earlier that day for being distracted. Maybe it was the way Mikasa had sparred so gently with Eren during squad training earlier, like she couldn’t fucking _annihilate_ him without breaking a sweat. Or maybe it was simply because he realized he’d been staring at her for five straight minutes, while she sat obliviously concentrated on her bench presses. Whatever it was, Levi just knew he was angry, and he wanted to hit somebody who could take it.

He rose abruptly from where he sat. “Oi. Ackerman.” His deep voice had steel in it.

Mikasa finished her last bench press and sat up, eyes blinking at Levi expectantly.

He glared at her with his bored expression, eyes harder than usual. “Are we going to spar sometime tonight, brat? Or did you want to be here until the goddamn sun rises?”

Mikasa huffed out an amused breath and stood up, stretching her arms out behind her back.

“Are you in that much of a hurry to lose?” It had taken Mikasa a while to feel comfortable around the captain during their training, but once she had, she found a competitive force within herself that only Levi could bring out of her. There was something about him that made her want to…beat him? _Impress_ him? Mikasa wasn’t sure what it was, but it drove her to a level of combat she’d never reached before.

Levi abstained from answering, and simply turned away from her to walk over to the mat. He spun back to face her, blank-faced and ever-bored, and stepped into his subtle stance.

“Fine.” She muttered to herself and walked over calmly to the mat, muscles begging to be put to use. “Let’s make this short and sweet.”

The second her foot hit the mat, Levi swung his leg over in a roundhouse kick that sent Mikasa tumbling to the floor. Before she was able to process the move, he had her flipped over and was sitting on her waist, pounding a right hook into her face.

“Come on, Ackerman. You gone soft after that _pathetic_ display with Yeager today in training?”

Mikasa was shocked. He certainly never went easy on her during their fights together, but he _always_ allowed her to get into her stance, and _never_ started before she was ready. One day he had even delayed their spar because he said she was “too tired” after their run. He had said he wanted her at her best when they fought each other.

He obviously didn’t feel that way today.

Levi brought his fist down to her again, but this time she was ready. She grabbed at his arm and brought it across his body, putting him in an unbalanced position. With her left foot, she locked down his leg, bucked her hips upwards to make Levi loose balance, and used the momentum of his fall to roll the two of them into a switched position.

She used the advantageous situation to get in one good strike to the the right side of his face, splitting open his lip before quickly rolling off and away so she could get to her feet. Levi brought himself to a standing position, wiping away the blood dripping down his chin with the back of his hand.

“That’s more like it.” His voice was a low rumble in the back of his throat.

Levi wasted no more time, again going on the offensive with an attack to her face. But she was ready for it. She blocked his strike and brought her foot up for a swift kick to the side, which he caught, holding onto her ankle with both hands, pulling her forward with the intent of throwing her off balance. Anticipating this, Mikasa bent her knee, using the momentum to bring their bodies close enough to grab onto the back of his neck with her hand, forcing his head down and body forward. Using his unstable position, she yanked her leg free and drove her knee up into his stomach again and again. Levi took advantage of his freed arms, bringing his elbow down on her thigh, and forcing her to let go of his neck. They both backed away from each other, catching their breath and returning to their stances.

“Where was all of this effort when you were fighting Yeager?” His eyes betrayed no emotion, but she could’ve _sworn_ he sounded almost…angry. Well, angrier than he usually was. “Maybe _I’ll_ start being his sparring partner. He’s weak enough as it is without you coddling him during training.”

Mikasa’s eyes flashed dangerously, her voice all but a snarl. “Eren’s not weak.”

“He won’t be after I’m through with him.”

Fire danced across Mikasa’s eyes as she lunged forward, sending a parade of blows towards Levi’s face as he easily blocked and sidestepped each one.

“Anger makes you sloppy, Ackerman. I’ll have to remember that.”

Her face twisted in rage as she threw another punch, only to widen her eyes in surprise as he caught her fist, bringing his own up to strike her temple. She staggered back, head ringing.

“What the fuck is wrong with you today?” Her voice sounded exasperated. She was panting heavily, more confused by his seemingly out-of-nowhere anger then she was hurt by his attacks. “What’s your problem?”

Levi lifted an eyebrow. She hardly ever swore. _He must really be getting under her skin._

Frustrated by his lack of a response, she struck again, unsurprised when he blocked her attack, but satisfied when he failed to see her leg come up in a successful kick to his side. He stumbled, turning in time to see her fist coming towards his face again. Instead of blocking, he side-stepped away from her strike, moving in close to her body, surprising her. He grabbed onto the straps of her sports bra, using the momentum from her punch to swing her around, and slam her against the wall. She cried out as her head hit the brick and brought her hands up to push against Levi’s chest, trying to force him away. He gripped her wrists, bringing them up above her head as he pressed his entire body against her, pushing her into the wall.

He brought his lips up to her ear, his voice low. “I’m angry, Ackerman. What are you going to do about it?”

She stopped struggling, and they stood there, chests rising and falling against one another as he waited for her to react.

He leaned into her more, applying more pressure despite her lack of a reaction. His lips gently grazed her jaw, and Mikasa sighed breathily into his ear, body arching towards his touch.

Levi froze. Everywhere their skin made contact was suddenly electric.

_Did she just…_

She did. Mikasa Ackerman was responding to _his_ touch. He had been expecting her to hit him; violently push him away from her and continue to fight. But she had…. _leaned_ into him. Was _still_ leaning into him. And that sigh. That sigh sent shivers down his spine, and blood rushing down even lower. It had seemed like…like a release.

He dropped his hands down to her shoulders, gently pushing away from her in order to look at her face. Her eyes shot open, and her momentary disappointment at the loss of contact was quickly replaced by realization. Realization of the sound that had escaped her.

Her eyebrows scrunched together in a sudden fury, and she shoved him away hard enough to make him stumble as she practically ran from the mat, grabbed her duffel bag, and left the gym without another word.

Mikasa screamed at herself internally as she fled down the hallway. _What was that?! Why did she react that way?_ Mikasa had never been handled like that before. It was intimate. She was sure that the captain was just trying to make her uncomfortable, but it was… _nice_ to be touched that way. _It had felt good._ Her body had just reacted to it a little more audibly than she would’ve liked.

She groaned inwardly. _Why did she have to run out of there like that?_

She had a reacted like a child. Mikasa was not one to shy away from anything. Confrontation was something she was very comfortable with. It was just usually… physical confrontation.

She mentally scolded herself as she reached her room. _He probably forgot about it the moment after it happened. Stop being so silly._ She wasn’t a child anymore. They would continue their sparring sessions, and she would not lose control again.

She shut her bedroom door behind her, unaware that Levi had been staring at the door of the gym ever since she had left through it.

_This changes everything._

  * •



“You guys came!”

The piercing shout jarred Levi from his thoughts, and he turned to see Sasha Blouse running towards Mikasa, Eren, and Armin, dragging a very frazzled Connie Springer behind her.

Levi shifted stealthily along the wall in the shadows, inching closer to listen to the group while remaining unseen.

Sasha halted to a stop in front of them, resulting in Connie crashing into her from behind and sending the both of them staggering forward.

_Idiots._

Mikasa gracefully caught them before they fell, and they righted themselves. Sasha gasped.

“Mikasa! You look amazing! Your hair! And that dress!”

Mikasa gave a very soft smile and regarded Sasha warmly. “Thank you, Sasha. You look very nice, as well.” She was wearing a pretty, long-sleeved, white dress that fell just above her knees. The lacy neckline met in a vey low V.  Mikasa’s gaze fell on Connie and she spoke with amusement in her voice. “You too, Connie.”

Connie grinned and scratched the back of his head. He was wearing a powder-blue suit with a massive bowtie at his neck. “Thanks. Sasha picked it out for me.”

He smiled at Eren and Armin, eventually noticing that Eren appeared to be scowling at anything and everything his eyes focused on.

Connie cleared his throat awkwardly. “You ok, Eren? You and and Armin cleaned up ok.”

Eren snapped his head to Sasha and Connie, only then seeming to realize that they were there. His scowl softened somewhat. “Yeah. Thanks.”

If Sasha sensed Eren’s fowl mood she didn't show it. “Well, I can’t believe you guys came! This is going to be so much fun, I know it! Connie and I have been practicing our dance moves and I think-”

Connie cut her off with slight jab to her arm. He gave an embarrassed laugh and mumbled, “Well, not really _practice_ …”

But it was Eren’s turn to cut Connie off. He looked at Sasha with a baffled expression. “You think this is _fun_? This whole thing is a huge waste of time.”

Mikasa shot him a cautionary glance. “Eren…”

“No! This is pointless. How the hell is this supposed to help us against the titans, in _any_ way?” He made a noise of frustration. “It just feels like we’re celebrating with nothing to celebrate about.”

Levi huffed in amusement from where he was leaning against the wall. He agreed, of course, but rolled his eyes at the brat’s childish pouting.

Armin glanced over at Mikasa before letting his gaze fall to the floor. “I don’t know, Eren. If Hange thinks this is a good idea, then it must have _some_ merit.” He brought his sharp, blue eyes up to meet Eren’s bright, green ones. “I think it’s worth at least giving it a chance.”

Eren glared at Armin, knowing his words had value, but still not wanting to give in.

Mikasa gently touched Eren’s arm. “Armin’s right Eren. Besides...” She shifted awkwardly. “I think it’s…nice.” Armin gave her a grateful smile as Eren stared at her in bewilderment.

“You _do_?”

They held each other’s gaze for a moment before Eren finally sighed, looking down.

“Fine. Yeah. I guess I can…give it a chance, or whatever.”

Sasha sprung forward, quick as a flash, and put her hands on Eren’s shoulders. “That’s the spirit, Eren!” Her eyes widened as a new song with a quick tempo began to play. “This song. Connie I _love_ this song!” She turned to Connie grabbing his hand. “We have to dance. Now.”

“Now?”

“Yes, now! We have to dance now so we can eat later! Did you see the size of that buffet table when we walked in? I am _not_ going to be able to dance after I’ve finished going through that.”

She reached over, grabbing Eren by his shirt collar, and dragged him along with Connie to the dance floor.

“Hey!” Eren reeled in surprise, but looked vaguely amused nonetheless.

Sasha called back over her shoulder as she dragged the two boys to a spot where Ymir was throwing Krista around like a rag doll. “Armin and Mikasa! You guys better get your fancy butts on this dance floor!”

Armin looked over at Mikasa, face slightly wincing. “I suppose we did ask for that. You coming?”

“Yeah I’ll be there in a second. I’m going to go get some punch.”

He took a deep breath. “Okay. Just hurry.” He nodded towards the others. “I’ll be over there, pretending to dance.”

Mikasa laughed, and Armin gave her another smile as he joined Eren, Sasha, and Connie on the dance floor. Sasha had grabbed onto both of their hands, forming a circle and spinning around like some twisted version of ring-around the rosie. Eren looked miserable, but even he laughed as Sasha positioned their circle around Armin when he came to join them. They spun around him as he stood awkwardly, looking as uncomfortable as ever.

She was just about to start walking towards the punch table when Levi pushed himself off of the wall. He certainly wasn’t ready to confront her with an open discussion on their _feelings_ (the very thought made Levi roll his eyes), but he’d be damned if he was going to avoid her like some blushing virgin.

“Oi. Ackerman”

She froze where she stood, and slowly turned to face him, expression blank. She nodded at him.

“Heichou.”

He inwardly smirked at her indifference. _So that’s how she was going to play it huh? Just act like nothing happened?_ But Levi wasn’t going to let it go. He didn’t want to. She had physically reacted to him during training, and Levi wasn’t going to let her pretend otherwise.

He stepped in closer. “That was some disappearing act you pulled two nights ago.” Her face blanched. He left all inflection out of his voice. “Whatever could it have been to make you run off like that?”

She steeled her expression, shrugging. “The fight was over. You won.” Her face twitched. “Congratulations.”

“Bullshit.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Excuse me?”

Levi stepped even closer, not failing to notice the way her breath hitched when he did so. “You heard me, cadet.”

She was glaring at him now, almost threateningly. “I don’t know what you mean, _captain._ ” She spat out the word as if it were an insult.

He matched her glare, not one to mince words. “Then let me tell you.”

He was right in front of her now. His face only inches away from her own. “That wasn’t a win. You gave up.” He thought a moment. “Or was it more like giving in?”

She sputtered as he let his eyes travel slowly down her body, and back up to her flustered face. “Maybe it _was_ a win.”

Before she could respond, he leaned forward, whispering in the same ear he had before, letting his lips hover right next to her skin, teasing.

“Are you going to give in now?”

His low voice hummed beside her ear, and she held her breath, not moving, but not pushing away. It was like she was frozen. Her lips parted slightly.

After a few seconds that felt like an eternity, Levi pulled away. He allowed himself to drift his eyes over her pink lips for a moment before meeting her widened eyes. They stared at each other for a moment, neither breaking the other’s gaze, until Levi’s face broke out in a smirk.

“Don't worry. I’ll walk away this time so you don’t have to _run_ away.”

He tuned his back on her and began to walk away, when he suddenly stopped, looking back. His face was completely blank again when he added, “You look great, by the way.”

Her eyes flashed with something he couldn’t place, and he turned away to walk back to his corner and tie, leaving her standing alone as the music faded to nothing.

Mikasa finally released the breath she had been holding in and stared after Levi. She quickly shook off her daze and turned sharply to head over to the punch table, anxious to have something to do.

She was furious. He had completely caught her off guard. Here she was, ready to forget and move on, but he had…other plans. She couldn’t deny that she was attracted to him, couldn't pretend that she hadn’t desperately wanted to to run her fingers through his hair and press their bodies together again.

But she had just stood there. She had stood there and done nothing while he had…toyed with her? She wasn’t completely sure what his intentions were. Was he taunting her? Trying to rile her up for their next fight? Or was he…reciprocating? Levi definitely knew about her attraction towards him, there was no hiding that now. But what about him? Did he _want_ her to give in?

Mikasa stared down at her punch, eyes narrowing. She didn’t know why Levi had done what he did, but she did know one thing.

_She wasn’t going to let him have the last word._

\---

Levi made his way back to his corner, fully intending to leave this ridiculous event. He had gotten what he came for.

He reached for his tie when a voice stopped him dead in his tracks.

“Levi!”

He groaned, turning towards the voice, aiming to make this encounter last as quickly as possible.

“Hange.”

She laughed her ridiculous laugh and walked up to him.

“If I wasn’t wearing my glasses I’d be sure I wasn’t seeing straight! You actually came to this!” She clapped her hands together and bat her eyelashes. “You do care!”

“Yeah well check your glasses again, four eyes, because I was just leaving.”

“Well I can’t say I expected anything different.” She pulled a notebook and pencil out of an unseen pocket and flipped to a blank page. “Just let me ask you a few questions.”

Levi brought a hand to his throbbing head. “Fine,” he said, voice full of irritation. “But make it quick.”

“How would you describe your current mood?”

He glared at her.

She scribbled down notes. “Mmhm…okay. And how would you describe your feelings about our upcoming expedition? On a scale from 1 to 10, rate your apprehension.”

He let out an annoyed breath and brought his hand to his face again. “One.”

“Mmkay.” Another scribble. “Can you please explain why you chose to come to this event.”

His thoughts instantly went to Mikasa in her black dress, but he shook them away. He was practically growling, his patience all but spent. “Hange.”

“Okay, okay fine. You can go, grouchy.” She scribbled something else down, and then stopped and peered her quizzical eyes at him over the top of her notebook while he continued to rub at his temples.

“What were you and Mikasa talking about?”

Levi could’ve sworn all the noise was sucked out of the room.

“What?”

“Over there. What were you guys talking about?”

He looked away. “Nothing.”

“It didn’t look like nothing.”

“Well it’s really none of your damn business Hange. Now I’m leaving.”

He turned to grab his tie, but Hange cleared her throat, her expression going funny. “Levi.”

 _Oh, for fuck’s sake._ “What?” He snapped at her.

She pointed behind him, and Levi turned around to see a very amused-looking Mikasa standing inches away.

He stopped, expression displaying actual surprise. _He hadn’t expected her to come up to him._ He scowled at her sudden smirk and her expression hardened again, though her eyes sparkled.

“What do you want?”

Her face stayed impassive. She spoke boldly and plainly.

“To dance.”

Now it was Levi’s turn to pause.

“You want to dance. With me.” It wasn’t so much a question as it was a repetition. As if he hadn’t heard her correctly.

She lowered her voice to a whisper so Hange couldn’t hear, and stepped closer. “Unless you think you can’t handle it.”

His eyes flashed and narrowed. _Where was she going with this?_ He couldn’t say no. That would be admitting defeat. So instead, he shrugged and said, “Lead the way.” His voice was stiff, devoid of all emotion. _We’ll see who can’t handle it._

Mikasa took his arm, and before he knew what was happening, they were headed towards the dance floor. He heard Hange’s laugh of disbelief behind him, and turned around to silence her.

“Hey.”

Mikasa’s soft voice brought his attention back to her. She had found them a spot in a dark corner where nobody was dancing due to the odd lack of lantern light.

“Don't look back,” she said as she brought their bodies closer together. “Just keep your eyes on me.”

 _No problem there._ The low lighting made her look equal parts beautiful and dangerous. She looked alluring, yet lethal, like she could pull you in for a secret only to snap your neck and leave you cold on the floor.

Levi _wanted_ to be pulled in.

He snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her bodies flush against each other, taking the lead. His other hand found hers, and he began to gently sway to the now-slow music. He would _not_ let her gain the upper hand in this situation. He was in control, and wanted to see if he could make her lose some.

But Mikasa only gripped his hand in return, sliding her other hand up tantalizingly slow to rest on his shoulder. They were at a stalemate, both trying to get the other to break.

Levi’s hand was applying a gentle pressure at the small of her back, fingers teasing the exposed skin there. Mikasa brought her arm around his back, fingers gripping onto his muscled shoulder. Her face was so close to the side of Levi’s that he could feel her eyelashes fluttering against his temple. He could tell she was trying hard to keep her breaths steady and even.

He angled his face towards her so that his lips were once again grazing her jaw. She was wearing him down, the skin of her lower back so smooth, her hand so cool and soft, her face so close. He needed to get a reaction out of her, and _soon,_ or he wasn’t going to be able to hold back any longer. _He would not be the first one to break._

He started rubbing slow circles on the back of her hand with his thumb as he spoke into her ear, voice deep and slightly strained.

“You’re holding back.” He slid his hand up her back, eliciting a shiver out of her, and proving his point. “I can tell.”

“Levi?”

Her use of his name made him stop, and he leaned back just enough to look at her, noses centimeters apart. Her eyes were dark when she spoke again.

“Shut up and dance.”

The corner of his mouth quirked up in a ghost of a smile.

“Is that an order, _cadet_?”

 “More like a polite request.”

Levi glided his hand back down her back. “Then I’d like to politely decline.” He leaned forward again so that their faces were once again side by side. His fingers found the edge of her dress, and he slipped them just underneath the dark fabric. He couldn’t take it anymore.

“I don’t want to dance. I’d like to do something… _else_.”

Mikasa stopped swaying. She leaned back out again to look him in the eye, and suddenly Levi was afraid he’d said the wrong thing. When she spoke again her voice was as dark as they corner they stood in.

“Your room or mine?”

Levi smiled. _Perhaps this dance wasn’t so awful after all._

 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not sure how I feel about it, but it's just something that's been bouncing around in my head for a while now. Thanks for taking the time to read it! Feel free to leave your thoughts and comments; they would be much appreciated :)


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